Does Discrimination Terminology Create Response Bias in Questionnaire Studies of Discrimination?

Gender or race terminology in assessment instruments used for discrimination research may influence the self-report of experienced discrimination. The authors assessed the frequency of negative events associated with typical reports of discrimination while manipulating instructions to prepare respondents for questions about discriminatory events versus everyday life events. Samples of 135 White females and 170 African Americans were examined independently. Self-reports of the frequency of experienced discrimination varied according to the type of instructions given, with higher scores occurring in the discrimination-instructions condition. Attributional tendency for unfair or bad treatment and membership in pro-ingroup organizations are two respondent characteristics that relate to response bias. The authors suggest more extensive research on the complex issues involved in producing psychometrically sound depictions of the frequency of modern discrimination through the use of self-report questionnaire items.